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It's the question on every wrestling fan's lips: Will CM Punk join WWE and show up at Survivor Series? The always controversial CM Punk, real name Phil Brooks, was fired from All Elite Wrestling in September following a backstage fight with Jack Perry during the All In show at Wembley Stadium. His surprise departure from the company sent shockwaves through the wrestling world with speculation immediately rife that Punk will join AEW's rival and his former employer WWE. Punk hasn't worked for WWE since 2014 when he unceremoniously quit and didn't step foot in a wrestling ring for another eight years, with the man himself being on record about his dislike of the company and those in charge. Now that Punk is effectively a free agent again and with Survivor Series taking place in his hometown of Chicago, speculation is understandably rife amongst WWE fans. So, what's going to happen? Will CM Punk be at Survivor Series? To put it bluntly, it is highly unlikely. Early reports suggested that WWE had no intention of signing Punk at this stage but neither a yes or no answer had been given. In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer appeared to back up a previous report from Fightful which stated that Punk will not be at the show. Meltzer wrote: "If WWE was to bring in Punk, this night or Smackdown the night before would be the place to debut him. We’ve seen no evidence this is happening and those close to the situation have denied it, but it is possible it’s a well-kept secret.” Meltzer added: “From the start we were told that while there is negativity about Punk, they are not completely opposed to it if the idea is it’s something they have to do in regard to fan response. "While every creative head has their plan, this creative side is not looking at being combative with the audience like Vince McMahon often was." What if he is at Survivor Series? CM Punk references have been dropped on both WWE and AEW television in recent months but those should possibly be considered as sneak winks and nods to knowing viewers rather than concrete evidence he has signed. One possibility for Punk to be at the show has already been eradicated after the babyface team in the men's WarGames match announced that the returning Randy Orton will be their fifth man. Many felt this was announced early to shut down any expectation that Punk would be in the match Meanwhile, Shinsuke Nakamura has been teasing a match with a mystery opponent and has used Punk's GTS finisher on television in recent weeks. Nakamura does not have a match scheduled for the show but surprise bouts have been added on the night of shows before so it wouldn't be a shock if it were to happen. Whether Punk would be his opponent though remains a doubt. What have WWE Superstars and staff said about a CM Punk return? Punk is one of the most outspoken and controversial figures in all of wrestling. His critical comments in September 2022 about top AEW talent like Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks and 'Hangman' Adam Page soured him with many hardcore fans of that company. He also left WWE in 2014 with seemingly all his bridges burnt and some of the talent there still appear to hold grudges against Punk. Earlier this year Seth Rollins called Punk a 'cancer' and told him to stay away from WWE. Current WWE Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns also hinted at a dislike of Punk. In a September 2020 interview with Complex Reigns suggested that he didn't like Punk but would be willing to work with him again if it was best for business. With all this in mind, little is still known about Punk's employment status and if he actually wants to return to wrestling (he has been backstage at WWE and TNA shows in the past year) and even if WWE wants him. In terms of Survivor Series, unless something dramatic happens and the card is swiftly changed in the next 24 hours, fans should temper their expectations about seeing him at the show.

The 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand is approaching the knockout stages and has already provided some astonishing games, goals and upsets. England’s 6-1 thrashing of China, the surprise early eliminations of Brazil, Canada and Germany and an underperforming USA’s narrow escape from Group E have been just some of the stories of the tournament so far. While one of the host nations, New Zealand, failed to qualify for the round of 16, Australia are still going strong and offering plenty for the home fans to cheer about. The Matildas’ opening game against the Republic of Ireland at Stadium Australia in Sydney on 20 July attracted 75,784 fans, the largest crowd ever to attend a women’s football match in the country and the third-biggest to ever see a game in the history of the World Cup. A crowd of 42,137 had seen the Kiwis’ 1-0 win over Norway a day earlier, setting the equivalent record for New Zealand and revealing the extent of local excitement about the tournament Down Under. While there are no further fixtures scheduled at New Zealand’s Dunedin Stadium in Otago or Waikato Stadium in Hamilton or at the Perth Rectangular Stadium in Western Australia, here is a guide to the remaining venues with Women’s World Cup matches still to play. Brisbane Stadium, Queensland, Australia Also known as Lang Park or the Suncorp Stadium and nicknamed “The Cauldron”, this multipurpose arena in the Brisbane suburb of Milton was opened in 1914 and has a capacity of 56,851. Often used for rugby league and union, it is home to the Brisbane Broncos, the Dolphins, the Queensland Reds and the Queensland Maroons, as well as the A-League football side Brisbane Roar. Upcoming fixtures (all kick-off times given in GMT) Round of 16: England vs Nigeria (8.30am 7 August 2023) Third quarter-final: TBD vs TBD (8am 12 August 2023) Third-place play-off: TBD vs TBD (9am 19 August 2023) Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand New Zealand’s national stadium was opened in 1900 and has a capacity of 40,536. It is primarily used for rugby union fixtures in winter and cricketing Tests in summer. The Blues, Auckland Rugby and Auckland Cricket all call it home while the all-conquering All Blacks have made it a feared arena for touring sides to visit, having not been beaten at Eden Park since 1994. It is also notable for having hosted the 1987 and 2011 Rugby World Cup finals. Upcoming fixtures Round of 16: Switzerland vs Spain (6am 5 August 2023) Second quarter-final: TBD vs TBD (8.30am 11 August 2023) First semi-final: TBD vs TBD (9am 15 August 2023) Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, Australia Also known as Coopers Stadium, the home of A-League side Adelaide United was first opened in 1960 and is one of the smaller venues hosting games at the the World Cup with a crowd capacity of just 13,327. Upcoming fixtures Round of 16: France vs Morocco (12pm 8 August 2023) Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Victoria, Australia The spectacular home of rugby league side Melbourne Storm, Super Rugby team Melbourne Rebels and the A-League rivals Melbourne Victory FC and Melbourne City FC was opened in 2010. It has a comparatively low capacity of just 28,870, however, which has proven a source of contention given that it will be hosting what is, potentially, one of the games of the tournament: the round of 16 clash between free-scoring Sweden and the current world champions USA. Upcoming fixtures Round of 16: Sweden vs USA (10am 6 August 2023) Round of 16: Colombia vs Jamaica (9am 8 August 2023) Stadium Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia One of the most impressive venues at this tournament is Stadium Australia, built in 1999 to host the 2000 Olympic Games, with an original capacity of 115,000 that has since been reduced to around 80,000. It is also one of the tournament’s busiest, hosting Australia’s next game as well as quarter-final and semi-final matches before the World Cup final itself on Sunday 20 August. Stadium Australia otherwise ordinarily plays host to everything from Aussie rules football and cricket to rugby league and rugby union matches. Upcoming fixtures Round of 16: Australia vs Denmark (11.30am 7 August 2023) Fourth quarter-final: TBD vs TBD (11.30am 12 August 2023) Second semi-final: TBD vs TBD (11am 16 August 2023) Final: TBD vs TBD (11am 20 August 2023) Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Also known as the Allianz Stadium, the Sydney Football Stadium was built in 1988, played a key role in the 2000 Olympics and has been completely revamped in time for this World Cup, reopening last summer and now boasting a capacity of 38,841 Upcoming fixtures Round of 16: Netherlands vs South Africa (3am 6 August 2023) Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand Affectionately known as “The Cake Tin”, the home of rugby sides the Hurricanes and Wellington Lions and A-League outfit Wellington Phoenix was built in 1999 and has a capacity of 31,089. Upcoming fixtures Round of 16: Japan vs Norway (9am 5 August 2023) First quarter-final: TBD vs TBD (2am 11 August 2023) Read More Women’s World Cup 2023 LIVE: Latest scores and updates as Germany battle for knockout spot Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today Women’s World Cup group tables and standings: How can each team qualify? When does USWNT play next? World Cup schedule and route to the final Germany suffer Women’s World Cup elimination after South Korea draw Women’s World Cup group tables and standings: How can each team qualify?

LaLiga president Javier Tebas says Jude Bellingham is from a “different planet” and hailed the England midfielder’s impact on the Spanish league. Bellingham has made a stunning start to life at Real Madrid following his summer switch from Borussia Dortmund, scoring 13 goals in his first 14 games in all competitions. The 20-year-old, who has pulled out of international duty with England this week due to a shoulder problem, has been the star attraction at the Bernabeu and is already the new star of LaLiga. Tebas admits people are surprised by how good Bellingham is and it is too early to estimate just how important he will be for the Spanish league from a commercial perspective. “It’s only been a few months, it’s too soon to know the full extent, but in the viewing levels in the UK Bellingham is having a big impact in our league,” Tebas told the PA news agency. “He’s an important player and the United Kingdom and other English-speaking areas are attracted to our league because of him. “Bellingham is a top player, we knew he was a great player but we didn’t realise the level he could reach, at Real Madrid it’s like he’s from a different planet. “I’m sure he’ll stay for a few more seasons.” Tebas, who was speaking at the Web Summit in Lisbon, admitted that the Premier League was bigger than LaLiga, but it was his league that had the best player in Europe. “We have got the best player in Europe who is English,” Tebas said of Bellingham. “We can’t compare the two countries. “Obviously the Premier League is bigger but the best player in Europe is playing in Spain. “So we have the choice to get the best players to come to Spain.” Read More Rory McIlroy aware ‘loose lips sink ships’ as progress made towards golf future ‘Drained and stressed’ Ronnie O’Sullivan withdraws from Champion of Champions Liam Cooper wants Scotland to ‘do ourselves justice’ at Euro 2024 Virgil van Dijk backs Liverpool to challenge Manchester City for Premier League title Anybody can beat anybody on the day – Kane Williamson hopeful NZ can upset India Denver Broncos capitalise on second chance to beat Buffalo Bills

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